Electrolyte control device



y 1, 1943. 0.0. RIESE ZR 2,319,158

ELECTROLYTE CONTROL DEVICE Filed Sept. 26, 1939 'IIIIII/IIIJ INVENTOR.

0L/VE/t 0. 17/5551.

ATTORNEYS.

' Patente d May 11, 1943 ELECTROLYTE CONTROL DEVICE Oliver 0. Rieser,Oak Park, Ill., asslgnor to The Richardson Company, Lockland, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Application September 26,1939, Serial No. 296,667

Claims. (Cl. 136-178) My invention relates to types of electrolytecontrol devices, such as thoseset forth in the copending application ofCharles L. Keller, Serial No. 276,826, filed June 1, 1939, Patent No.2,233,081 dated February 25, 1941. Keller devised electrolyte controlmeans for electric storber serving to close the vent perforation whenthe filler cap is removed. Thus in filling the cell, as soon as theelectrolyte reaches the end of the tubular member, it will rise rapidlytherein, so that-it is impossible to overfill the cell,

and so that an indication is. given when the cell has been filled to theproper level. -When the filler cap has 'been put in position to closethe filler opening, it actuates the' weight operated The bottom of valvemechanism to open the vent perforation.

so that free egress of gases from the space above the electrolyte levelis provided.

It is an object of my'invention to provide cer-' tain'modiflcations andimprovements upon the structure hereinabove referred to.

It is an object of my invention to provide means for preventing suchdisplacement of the weight actuated valve'memher as might cause it tobind against the sides of the well or otherwise interfere withits properfunctioning.

It is an object of my invention to provide means and a structure wherebythe weight op erated valve member is prevented from adhering to thebottom portions of the well through the action of capillarity and airpressure.

Since, non-overflll devices of this class permit the very rapid. fillingof a cell, and since at the conclusion of such-rapid filling the addedwatercover in the usual manner and either form terminals or areconnected with the posts of other may rise into the well, it is stillanother object of my invention to provide a structure in which the actof inserting the filler cap is not likely to displace water orelectrolyte so as to caus'e'it to come out over the top of the cellcover, Specifically it is an objectTrf my invention to provide.

will be set forth hereinafter, or which will be apparent to one skilledin the art upon reading these specifications, I accomplish by thatcertain construction and arrangement of parts of which I shall nowdescribe exemplary embodiments. Reference is made to the drawingwherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the upper part of astorage battery cell and cell cover, showing one form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view, showing the structure of Fig. 1,when actuated by the filler cap. v I

Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view showing another structuralmodification of my invention.

' Fig. 4 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the weight operated valve memberactuated by the filler-cap.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view, showing another modification.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view,'showing still another modification.

Fig, 8 is an exploded view, showing a portion of a cell cover anda-filler'cap.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view, showihg a modified form of centeringstructure.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the weight operated valve member 'ofFig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the valve member of Fig. 89

In Fig. 1, I have shown a portion of the, cell of an electric storagebattery having the battery box walls I, the cell cover 2 held in placeby the usual sealing compound3, the plate assembly 4, and theelectrolyte 5. The plates of the plate assemblies of opposite polarityhave termi nal posts 6 and I, which pass through the cell plateassemblies by the usual connector bars 8.

cifically, it will be understood that the structures hereinafter to bedescribed as constituting my; invention are applicable to other storagebattery upper portion lll, or otherwiseprovided with means for.receiving and retaining a filler cap.

The well has a bottom II, from which there de pends a tubular member 12,of such length that its lower end lies at the desired electrolyte level.

Atubular member opens through the bottom-of the well as shown, and infilling the cell, water or electrolyte is introduced into the cellthrough this gas vent opening must be valved during the fillingoperation.

In Fig. l, I have shown a weight actuated valve member l4, in the formof a perforated disc or washer. It preferably is made of antirnoniallead, so as both to have a suitable mass, and to be impervious to theelectrolyte. Itmay, however, be made of other substances, within thepurview of my invention. In the particular form illustrated, the washerprovides its own fulcrum, the bottom of the well being fiat. To thisend, the underside of the washer is formed in two planes, at an angle toeach other, one of the planes being larger in extent than the other, sothat the center of gravity of the member does not coincide with thefulcrum, but lies well to one side of it. The fulcrum, of course, is themeeting line between the two planes. The washer under the influence ofgravity, will thus always rest against one of the planes, when freetodoso.w I

Means must be provided, however, to insure that the plane on which thewasher rests covers the gas vent opening I3. I have illustrated one suchmeans at l5. It consists of-a rod-like finger or projection on thewasher, adapted to enter the gas vent opening II. The finger is ofsubstantially smaller diameter than the vent opening so as not toobstruct the free passage of gas therethrough. The finger is madeintegral with or is fastened to that portion of the washer upon whichthe washer will rest by gravity, and the finger is of such length as toremain in the gas vent opening in spite of such tilting of the washer onits fulcrum'as occurs during the operation of the device.

In-Flg. 2, I have shown the action of the device of Fig. 1 when thefiller cap it is in place.

As has been explained, when the level of the electrolyte 2 reaches theend of the tubular member I 2, it rises rapidly therein, and when astorage battery cell is hastily filled, some of the water is likely tocollect in the well 2, the valve opening I! being closed. If the fillercap is of such character as to displace this water orelectrolyte beforeopening the valve, some of it may get out over the top of the cellcover. As a consequence, I provide the filler cap with means of nosubstantial bulk for operating the valve in order to avoid thisdisplacement. The means in question may comprise one or more minordownward projections II on the filler cap. Where the filler cap and .thewell have a single lead thread, a single projection will serve, becausewhen the filler cap is screwed in place, the projection will alwaysoccupyv the same position with respect to the washer M. It is desirablein many instances to use a plural lead thread however, so that thefiller'cap may be screwed in place with fewer. revolutions and morerapidly. A double lead' thread is illustrated at I! in Fig. 8. Where amulti-lead thread is employed, a plurality of the projections I'I may beprovided, spaced with respect to the threads. Or the filler cap may beprovided with a narrow depending annulus (I! in Fig. 8) of noconsiderable bulk. Otherwise within, having a gas vent opening 2| andpreferably a splash washer 2|. The weight actuated valve member may how:

' the filler cap may be of usual construction, hollow ever, itself beprovided with an operating finger or projection, which causes the valveto be operated before the filler cap has been screwed into the filleropening far enough to displace any water or electrolyte therein. I haveshown such a construction in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. Here the washer or valvemember Ila is fulcrumed on the base of the well, which is formed in twogeneral planes 22 and 23 at an angle to each other. The greater of theseplanes (22) contains the valve opening l3. The valve |4a is providedwith an upstanding operating finger 24. The filler cap lGa, thus doesnot require any projection, and may be made quite short; but the lowerannular edges, of the filler cap should be broad enough to contact theoperating finger 24 in all positions which the washer can assume.

In Figures 3 to 5, I have also illustrated another means for centeringor maintaining the position of the washer. Approximately at the line ofthe fulcrum formed where the planes 22 and 23 meet, I provide the wellwith grooves 28 and 26. These grooves engage corresponding ears 21 and28 in the washer Ha. sticking of the washer due to capillarity, and tocause the washer to seat more perfectly on the valve portion, I cut awaya portion of the plane 22 on the long face of the well bottom, thusrecesslng the mouth of the filling opening, leaving the walls about thetop of the passage l3 somewhat raised as shown at 29.

In Fig. 6, I have shown still another modification in which the bottom20 of the well is sub-' stantially fiat. In this instance, the washeralso provides its own fulcrum; and it does this by means of a pair ofopposed downward projections II, whiclr rest upon. the bottom of thewell, and which are both spaced to one side of the center of gravity ofthe washer. The bottom of thewell has a raised valve seat 32, containingthe valveperforation I 2; and the height of the valve seat and 28 ofFig. 4 with corresponding ears on the,

washer. The washer may also, if desired, have the operating finger 24.

In Fig.2, I have shown still another modification involving a differentcentering means, and a somewhat different form of washer. Here thebottom of the well is again formed with angularly related planes, shownat 22a and 22a. The meeting line of these planes is, however,substantiallyin the center of the well. In order then, to secure aproper weight actuation of the washer, I form one side of it thicker asat b than the other side Me. As a centering means, I provide in thewalls of the tubular member 12 oppositely disposed grooves 32,substantially along the fulcrum line. Small projections 24. on either.

In Figs. 9 and 10, I have shown still another centering -or positioningmeans for a weight operated valve member or, washer. This comprises adeep groove ll formed in an interior wall of the tubular member l2,which wall, at

Also, to prevent the side containing the groove, may be made thicker asat 12a. The washer lld has a downwardly projecting finger 36, longenough to lie within the groove 35 at all positions of the washer. Thegroove itself has a suflicient depth front to rear so that any movementof the washer in its plane within the well will not cause the finger 36to come out of the groove.

WhiIe'LhaVe illustrated and described various features in particularcombinations, it will be understood that various other combinations maybe made within the spirit of my invention. Thus any of the centeringmeans may 'be used with any of the washer or weight operated valvememtery, comprising a cell cover having a filler opening in the form ofa well, a tubular member of less internal diameter than the bottom ofthe well depending therefrom, the said bottom of the well having a gasvent perforation exterior to said tubular member, a weightoperatedfulcrum valve member cut away to permit filling through said tubularmember, and adapted to cover said perforation by gravity, said valvehaving a portion extending above the fulcrum when said valve is ingravity-actuated position, means for preventing the sidewisedisplacement of said valve member with respect to said perforation, andoperating means for said valve member comprising a ventedflller caphaving a portion adapted to be'engaged in said filler opening, and arelatively long, downward projection on said portion of substantiallyless volume than said portion, and so located as to engage said valveand rock lton its fulcrum when said filler cap is being engaged in saidfiller well, whereby said filler cap may operate said valve before saidportion of said filler cap enters said well to an extent to 'causesubstantial displacement of any liquid which may be in said well. I

2. Electrolyte control means for a storage battery, comprising a cellcover having a filler opening in'the form of a well, a tubular member ofless internal diameter than the bottom of the well depending therefrom,the said bottom of the'well having a gas vent perforation exterior tosaid tubular member, a weight operated fulcrum valve member in saidwell, cut away to permit filling through said tubular member; andadapted to cover said perforation by gravity, in which position aportion of said valve member extends above said fulcrum,.and means forpreventing the sidewise displacement of said valve member with. respectto said perforation, and

operating means for said valve member comprising a vented filler capwith a portion adapted to be engaged in said filler opening, andrelatively long downward-projections on said portion of substantiallyless volume than said por- .tion, whereby'said filler cap may operatesaid ,valve before said portion of said filler cap enters said well toan extent to cause substantial displacement of any liquid which may bein said well, said portion of said filler cap and said filler openinghaving plural lead threads, and

said filler cap portion having a plurality of the said-downwardprojections, each related to one of the threads so as to provide one ofsaid downward projections at a point to contact and operate said valveirrespective of the manner in which said filler cap is screwed into saidfiller opening.

3. Electrolyte control means for a storage battery, comprising a cellcover having a filler opening in the form of'a well, a tubular member ofless internal diameter than the bottom of the well depending therefrom,the said bottom of the well having a gas vent perforation exterior tosaid tubular member, a weight operated fulcrum valve member in said wellcut away to permit filling through said tubular member and adapted tocover said perforation by gravity, in which position a portionof saidvalve member extends above said fulcrum, means for preventing thesidewise displacement of said'valve member with respect tosaid'perforation, and operating means for said valve member comprising avented filler cap having a portion adapted to be I which may be in saidwell, said filler cap portion andfiller opening having plural leadthreads, and said projection being in the form of a thin annulusdepending from said filler cap portion.

4. In a cell cover structure for the purpose described, a body having afiller opening with walls defining a well having a bottom, a tubularmember of lesser diameter extending downwardly from the said bottom to adesired electrotyle level, and open through said bottom, said bottomhaving a gas venting perforation therethrough exterior to the saidtubular member, a weight actuated valve member in said well cut away topermit filling through said tubular member, and acting to close saidperforation, and means for preventing the sidewise displacement of saidvalve member, said means comprising lateral projections on said valvemember, the walls of said filler opening having grooves into which saidprojections can engage, and fulcrum means for said valve member, saidlateral projections and grooves being located substantially in alignmentwith said fulcrum means, said fulcrum acting when said valve member isgravity actuated to position it non-horizontally with one portionextending downwardly and covering said gas venting perforation, and theother portion extending above the fulcrum in order that it may beengaged by a filler cap which, when inserted in said filler opening,will move said valve member to a more nearly horizontal position.

5. In a cell cover structure for the purpose described, a body, havinga'filler opening with walls defininga well having a bottom, a tubularmember of lesser diameter extending downwardly from the said bottom to adesired electrolyte level,

' and open through said bottom, said bottom having a gas ventingperforation therethrough exterior to thesaid tubular member, a weightactuated valve member in said well and acting to' crum means 'for saidvalve member. said projecportion extending downwardly and covering saidgas venting perforation, and the other portion extending above thefulcrum in order that it may be engaged by a filler cap which, wheninserted in said filler opening, will move said valve member to a morenearly horizontal position.

OLIVER O. RIESER.

